Absolution
by regie27
Summary: A close call after a mission will force a decision that has been lingering between the mistakes of the past and the promise of the future. Sequel to Atonement The Great Divide


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**Absolution**

**A Madlax fanfic by regie27**

**Standard disclaimers apply**

**Note: This story is a sequel to "Atonement – The great divide"**

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_The piece of myself_

_I left in your heart_

_Is it still there?_

_Hitomi no Kakera, Fiction Junction YUUKA_

Dusk began to settle over a nondescript Galza encampment, its ordinary appearance concealing its true identity as a major command and control center. The unassuming appearance had been coupled by a rather simple yet very effective web of communications the Galza rebels had established to serve as eyes and ears to alert them from any impending attack from enemy forces. This had allowed the camp's survival through even the bloodiest and relentless campaigns the Kingdom Army had launched over the long years of the Civil War. Sunk into a valley engulfed by the thick tropical jungle, the camp was a-flurry with activity after weeks of idle existence due to the sudden halt of all operations after the cease of fire had been called by the warring factions. The day had begun like the previous ones but as the hours went by, vehicle after vehicle began to pour almost nonstop through the concertina wire studded gates. Two young sentries, burdened by the significance behind the sudden influx of motion, moved and paced nervously as they exchanged nervous glances and struggled to keep up with the pace of the sudden afternoon rush.

Atop a nearby hill, a figure cloaked by the shadows and the foliage observed everything with meticulous attention, taking mental account of the make and models of the vehicles and the appearance, clothing and equipment of the passengers that arrived. Her binoculars scanned every inch of the perimeter, putting special attention to the movement at the gate. So far, everything seemed to be in order but years of experience on the field had taught former Elite Guard lieutenant Limelda Jorg that when things seemed to be running just as planned, people usually let their guard down and thus, allowed for the small but vulnerable spot for an enemy to exploit. She had learned that lesson the hard way. Her almond shaped eyes scanned for the person who had taught her the lesson almost a year ago. After adjusting her binoculars, she was finally able to spot her. There she was, the embodiment of professionalism and cool confidence amidst the chaos. Limelda could see her as she exchanged some words with the security detail of the high ranking representative from the Gazth Sonika government she was escorting. The blonde young woman in the dark green jacket had been single-handedly responsible of shattering the raven haired woman's air of self-assurance when she was able to bypass the supposedly airtight security the Army had established. She had been the shooter that killed Royal Army Commander Guen MacNichol in an amazing feat of marksmanship that was yet to be equaled. That event triggered the almost obsessive haunt Limelda launched against the agent until it concluded in the most unexpected manner. The two former enemies formed an alliance and now they worked and lived together, creating a formidable team of operatives. They had also forged along the way a strong bond of friendship that seemed to hint at moments of something else, but so far nothing had come of those moments when their feelings seemed to be attuned to each other's. Just like that lazy afternoon when Madlax had volunteered a chaste kiss that Limelda returned with a more passionate one of her own. Limelda's mind drifted away to the moment she had held Madlax tightly in her arms as she had allowed herself to manifest the feelings she kept bottled inside for a brief but unforgettable moment. Shouts and car horns from afar awakened her back to reality. She let out a sigh as her eyes zeroed back on the encampment when something caught her attention. As if she had sensed the glances from her partner, the blond agent had turned around and peering at her position, offered her teammate a smile. Limelda couldn't help but to smile too.

The sniper rested the binoculars on the ground as her hands reached for the rifle at her lap. Instinctively, she ran through a weapons function check and followed suit with her sidearm. After making sure yet again her weapons were ready, she glanced at her wristwatch. It was time for a status report. She adjusted the earpiece as a shock of static crackled inside her ear. She fiddled with the radio's volume nestled inside a pocket of her fatigues.

"Bravo 1, this is Bravo 2, no incidents to report so far. How things are looking from your position, over?"

"Would you cut that out Limelda? I've told you that military jargon can really get on my nerves sometimes, and for your information, things are looking under control on my side" the slightly annoyed voice from Madlax replied with a long sigh.

The sniper smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Madlax, force of habit, but I suggest you keep an eye on the tall, burly guy right across you, the one with the Liberation faction delegation. The fellow looks a tad too tense and seems to be packing a big gun under his clothes."

"Limelda! I sure knew you had a roving eye but I wouldn't have guessed he was your type" the blonde replied slyly as she moved away from the crowds without taking her eyes off her objective to continue the conversation without calling attention to herself.

"Get your mind off the gutter Madlax! You know quite well what I mean" Limelda replied with a slight lilt of frustration and resignation over the agent's particular brand of humor laced with her usual brutal honesty.

The agent chuckled. "I'm so relieved to hear that. I was beginning truly to worry about your tastes. After all, I'm not sure if you're even going to top your last lover, the agent from Enfant…"

Limelda raised an eyebrow. "I see you sure are keeping tabs on me. Too bad I wasn't able to meet more of your conquests but I bet they must have been stunning because you aren't too shabby on the taste department yourself" the sniper replied with a big grin.

Madlax became silent for a moment. Suddenly, her purple eyes aimed again at Limelda. Even with the considerable distance between them, the sniper could feel the agent's eyes lingering over her. With a calm expression on her face, Madlax replied: "I guess so…you aren't plain looking yourself."

Limelda's jaw dropped for a few seconds. Her mouth tried to utter words but they never came out. As she struggled to wrap her mind around Madlax's retort and its meaning, the sound of gunfire from afar awakened her battle instincts as she dropped down with the Heckler & Koch on tow, already scanning through the scope for the impending foes.

"Limelda!" Madlax exclaimed through her receiver as she ran towards the Gazth Sonika delegation and her client. "The gunfire came from the main gate. It seems we have party crashers."

"I'm on it." The sniper replied. Just as her scope focused on the gate, she saw how one of the sentries took a bullet center mass over his chest while the second one emptied his weapon as his bullets wounded the driver and the gunner riding the invading Humvee. The intruders attempted to ram their way forcefully inside. Troops and vehicles poured towards the gate to stop them from making their entry. Limelda fired two precise shots, one of them piercing the rear left tire just when the vehicle was breaking through the barrier. The Humvee careened and lost control, crashing against the blockade of military jeeps that had positioned inside as more shots kept raining towards the rogue vehicle. The head of the driver slumped against the steering wheel and the blood-spattered body of the gunner hung gruesomely from his turret. After a tense moment, the door from the passenger seat opened as the audible sound of weapons cocking and loading was heard almost in unison.

"Come out with your hands up!" a tall man commanded as he approached the vehicle. More soldiers gathered around the leader in a horseshoe.

"I think the enemy has been contained Madlax" Limelda said as she glanced through her binoculars once again.

"This is strange. They must have known they would have never made it past the gate…" Madlax commented.

"I don't know…disgruntled factions expressing their opposition to the cease fire meetings?"

"I don't know…" Madlax's eyes were now fully focused on the man emerging from the battered vehicle. He wasn't too tall and had an unkempt beard and messy dark hair. He was bleeding at the forehead but there was something utterly unsettling in his expressionless dark eyes.

"Step away from the vehicle and put your hands up!" the tall man screamed again but his order was replied by a defiant smile.

"You cannot stop the natural order of the world! No matter what you do, you can't stop this from happening! This country and the entire world will be restored back to its true ways!"

Madlax opened her eyes wide. She then understood the defiance in his voice and the madness in his eyes. He was suicidal.

"He has a bomb…" the agent muttered.

"What did you say?"

"I must warn the others, he's a suicide bomber and he will blow us all up!"

"Madlax!!!"

But before anyone was able to react, the man simply began to laugh maniacally as a collective gasp escaped everyone at the sight of a detonator tightly held in the intruder's right hand. Limelda scrambled to get in position but the vehicles and troops around him got in her way.

"Shit!!!" Limelda spat in utter frustration. Without second thought, she picked up her rifle and sprinted down looking for a better position. As she moved, she saw how the troops began to slowly move backwards as the man kept laughing with the detonator held up high. All of a sudden, the loud sound of two gunshots pierced the tense silence. The man dropped the detonator as he fell forcefully forward.

"I got him…" Limelda heard Madlax say without any discernible emotion through her receiver.

Limelda stopped running as she inhaled deeply. "Good job" she replied with obvious relief on her voice. "I'll meet you down so we can proceed to escort the officials to safety."

"Agreed. This place has been compromised. Let's get them out of here" the agent said. But as she began to approach the encampment, a loud explosion rocked her beneath her feet and she felt being hurled backwards. She didn't know for how long, but when her conscience seemed to return to her and the ringing in her ears subsided, she began running towards the compound. Her left leg almost folded beneath her by the sharp pang of pain that invaded her ankle. Limping, she forced herself to forget about the pain, as her eyes began to collect the grisly spectacle before her. What had been the gate was now a charred black spot. The vehicles and edifices that had been closer to the Humvee stood burnt, mangled and deformed. Screams, curses and sobs could be discerned from the distance, but in Limelda's mind, only one person mattered. Amidst the tragedy and the pain, only one name remained branded on her conscience.

"Madlax!! MADLAX!!!"

* * *

Limelda assessed her bandaged ankle. The swell was almost imperceptible now and she could now shift her weight to her foot on the injured side for longer periods now. It wouldn't be any much longer when she could return to do her workout regime and return to her more active routine. She hated being idle and feeling like a wounded animal in retreat licking her wounds, but aside from short walks, there wasn't much she could do in this state. Letting out a sigh of resignation over the current state of affairs, she began the short walk from the kitchen to the terrace bringing along two tall glasses of iced lemonade.

"Limelda" exclaimed a voice from the terrace "you shouldn't keep insisting in exerting yourself. If you don't rest properly, that ankle of yours will never heal properly."

"Yeah, yeah, easy for you to say Miss Fast Healer" the sniper mumbled as she made her way to the terrace and slumped on a chair as soon she placed the glasses on a table. The former officer had to admit if there was a moment she felt envious of her partner's amazing healing powers, it was this. She could still remember how hard her heart beat against her chest when she had pulled the agent from underneath a beam from the burnt remains of the encampment's HQs. Limelda noticed that Madlax's client was dazed and had a small cut on his forehead but other than that, he was okay, as well as his security detail. However, Madlax had received the blow that rendered her unconscious while pushing the diplomat away from the falling beam but wasn't able to move away quickly enough to avoid it herself. The sight of the blond young woman lying on the ground brought another memory to the sniper's mind: it was the moment she watched over her as her body remained limp and lifeless over a field of flowers after being shot by Margaret Burton. The raven haired woman still wondered how she had been able to control herself from the impulse of running towards the injured young woman and to cradle her body in her arms but she was sure hadn't Nahal been there, she would have surely gone to her.

The remainder of that day was still sunk in a daze for Limelda. The memory of the things that followed was scattered in a kaleidoscope of fragments of short images and sound bites. She could still hear the rotors of the Chinook helicopters that transported both the living and the dead and the wailing of those who had lost a loved one before it was their due time to pass. The most impressive thing though, was the unusual determination displayed by the delegations. Despite the terrorist act, as if they were truly imbued by the historical importance of their act, the delegates accorded to travel to a smaller nearby camp to initiate the meetings anyway. That night, while history for her country was in the making, the former lieutenant yet again watched over the girl in her sleep as the ache on her swollen ankle made her grit her teeth. But the pain that invaded her to her core was the fear of losing the one who had meant life itself for her.

"Madlax…don't die on me…not when I still have to tell you what you mean to me…" she had whispered against her ear as tears poured down her ash stained face.

"A penny for your thoughts. Tell me, what's on your mind Limelda?" The soft, crystalline voice of the agent brought the former soldier back from her reverie.

Limelda glanced at a thoughtful Madlax. "Nothing important. Just thinking how much of an idiot I was to not suspect that there was the possibility those bastards could have thought of a timer for the bomb. The hand detonator was just a ruse. They knew from the start none of them was going to be able to activate it so instead they went kamikaze just to get the explosive device inside the camp. It was a truly devious and desperate operation."

"They were very crafty. Enfant trained them well" the agent commented soberly as she sipped from her lemonade.

"But that doesn't excuse me. Don't you realize you could have died back there?" the sniper exclaimed in a mixture of anger and pain. Limelda startled herself on how passionate those last words had been intoned.

Madlax studied her roommate's facial gestures intently. She offered her a sympathetic glance.

"I could but I didn't die Limelda" the agent replied gently as her right hand came to rest over the elder woman's. "I'm still here, just as you are still here too."

The raven haired sniper shifted her dark eyes from their hands to the girl's face. She felt a lump forming on her throat at the mere thought of losing the wonderful sight of her purple-hued eyes staring at her with their mischievous glint and youthful innocence.

"I…I almost lost you there Madlax…" she muttered weakly.

"But you came to my rescue, didn't you? That's why I'm now here with you. You're still being good to your promise of watching over me."

"And as for as long as you wish it and for as long I live, I will keep watching over you."

"I'm sure you will. That's why I chose you."

After a while, Limelda ventured a smile, which was returned by a mischievous yet tender one from Madlax. Limelda's hand shifted from underneath the agent's until their palms met and their fingers intertwined. They remained like that in silence, allowing the hours to go by until the moon hung up high on the Gazth Sonikan night sky.

* * *

Limelda grunted as her injured ankle got tangled up with the sheets yet again, waking her from her light sleep. For a woman who was used to receive considerable amounts of physical punishment by the rigors her line of work demanded, she wasn't taking this injury too well. Cursing under her breath, the former Elite Guard officer sat on her bed in the dark as she managed to untangle her foot from the offending sheet.

"Need some help?" Madlax's offered gently from the opposite bed.

"Nah…I'm fine. Sorry if I woke you up. It's just me being silly even in my sleep."

Madlax chuckled. "But I like it when you act silly. It makes you look more…vulnerable."

"I thought the word you were looking for was dumb but yeah, guess vulnerable works too."

Madlax stood up from her bed and sat beside Limelda. It was a habit the agent had picked up lately after that particular mission. As they nursed themselves back to health, they had filled endless hours with long, witty conversations peppered with war stories and past experiences instead, replacing the more impersonal tactical briefings that preceded their missions. The conversations kept unveiling the seemingly endless amount of things they had in common, from both being orphans to being used to inspire both admiration as well as dread on the hearts of their foes.

"You know Madlax? I really wish we can be able to see the day this country is finally healed from this accursed war. I don't think I can remember that last time I felt…happy, in the truest sense of the word. I think that my days of happiness began to fade away along with my childhood soon after the deaths of my mother and later my father…"

Madlax's face became pensive. Limelda stared at her disconcerted.

"Are you alright? Did I say something that bothered you?"

"No. On the contrary. You have revealed something very important and I think I should take the opportunity to be honest with you."

"I…I don't know what you're talking about Madlax."

"You say you can't remember the last time you felt happy, but I do and it is a fairly recent memory. Do you want to know when the last time I felt happy was?"

Limelda nodded in expectance.

Madlax shifted closer. Her hand went to rest over Limelda's knee.

"It was that afternoon when you kissed me."

Limelda froze for a moment but when she attempted to reply, the blonde agent brought her index finger against her lips. Her features shifted into a wistful expression.

"You know…I remember well what I told you back then and yet I knew I wasn't being completely honest with you because I wanted what you wanted. But at the same time I felt burdened by guilt, by the fact that I wanted to pursue my own happiness when others had died and their graves were still freshly dug. I thought it wasn't right for me to do so when I should have been overwhelmed by the pain and the loss and yet…"

Limelda leaned closer as her hand dared to rest over the agent's shoulder.

"I couldn't deny this attraction and that's why left with you that day Limelda Jorg and that's why I chose you."

The raven hair sniper shook her head in disbelief. "No…it can't be…you really don't mean to say any of this. Maybe you're just affected by the last mission. You had a close call after all…"

"And precisely because of that I was finally able to see things right. Life is too short to dwell on the past when you have a life to live, and a chance to share it with someone you care for…"

"But I can't…I mean…doesn't all I did and who I used to be matter to you anymore?"

"It doesn't matter anymore because you've changed, and I've changed too. Why then do we have to keep condemned to remain chained to the past when we can do so much with today? I am willing to take that chance but I need to know if you are willing to leave your burden behind and dare to live for today…"

Limelda lifted her eyes and met Madlax's expectant glance. Drawing a deep breath, she brushed aside the mane of blond hair that cascaded over the agent's left shoulder. A smile crossed her face.

"I hope that this can convey my answer then…" and without any hesitation, she held the agent's face with her hands and touched her lips with her own. After a short while, the sniper pulled back, scanning the younger woman's face waiting almost breathlessly for her reaction. Madlax opened her eyes and locked glances with a very expectant Limelda. A smile tugged at her lips.

"Thank you" she simply replied as her arms surrounded the elder woman's neck. It was all the encouragement the former Elite Guard commander required. It wasn't too long before Limelda sought Madlax's lips again but this time her kiss was devoid of any self-restraint or doubt. It was enthusiastically received by the younger woman as she too, shed aside the doubts and constrains that made conceal her true interest on the former officer.

"Limelda…" Madlax murmured hotly against her ear "I don't want to sleep alone anymore." As if for emphasis, she pulled Limelda down with her so they both lay on the bed facing each other.

The sniper grinned as her hands came around the agent's waist. "And I'll make sure you don't spend the night alone any longer. Can't give you any guarantees about the sleeping part though" she added with a very suggestive tone.

Madlax chuckled. "You're silly. And who said I wanted to sleep?"

Madlax's unabashed sincerity took Limelda again by surprise. As her fingers began to unbutton the agent's white blouse, she replied in earnest:

"And who could in their right mind sleep when there's so much of to be done of this…" Limelda captured Madlax's mouth again to emphasize her meaning as she sensed how Madlax began to maneuver nimbly until her she was on top.

"Ouch!" the ex-soldier yelped.

"What happened…?" the girl inquired worryingly.

Frustration was evident in Limelda's face. "Just my ankle…"

A blush crossed the agent's cheeks. "I'm so sorry" she said as her fingers gently caressed the elder woman's temple, brushing aside long strands of dark hair. "I'll be gentle then."

"Don't…" the sniper replied as she eagerly captured Madlax's lips in a passionate kiss as her hands succeeded in removing the girl's shirt.

"I guess we have come to an agreement then" the younger woman whispered against Limelda's lips as a mischievous glint illuminated her eyes. The elder woman chuckled briefly before her lips were claimed again but certainly not for the last time that night by Madlax.

The sound of rain against the window stirred Limelda from her sleep. The draft of cool breeze that crept inside the small apartment made her instinctively tug at her sheets but surprisingly, the sheet didn't budge at her pull. Lazily, she opened her eyelids and the sight she encountered made her gasp. Mere inches from her, Madlax's head rested on a pillow right beside her, her blond hair cascading in disarray over nude fair shoulders. The young woman was sunk into a peaceful deep sleep, her face reflecting a sense of serenity and relief. Beneath the covers, Limelda realized their legs met in a loose tangle. In a smooth, careful motion as if not to disturb the agent, Limelda raised her hand to brush aside stray tresses of hair that fell over her face. The girl stirred upon the contact of the sniper's fingertips against her cheek. Startled, Limelda brought her hand back.

"That's okay Limelda…that felt nice" Madlax purred.

"I'm sorry if I woke you" the elder woman mumbled apologetically.

Madlax's eyes opened wide as a lazy smile curved on soft lips. Limelda sensed how her toes wiggled against her leg as the girl stirred and flexed her limbs with a long yawn.

"Brr…is it me or is it cold here?" the agent commented as she shivered lightly.

"Must be the storm that we expected for today. Guess the forecast got it right this time."

"Limelda…"

"Aha?"

Madlax propped her head on her hand. "If you are cold and so am I, what are you doing 'there'?" she commented with a noticeably warm quality in her voice. The agent's left feet began to slide against the length of the sniper's leg under the covers. Limelda blushed, sensing how her heartbeat began to quicken.

"That can be fixed…" Limelda's replied with a sensuous cadence in her husky voice. Upon saying this, she snuggled against Madlax's welcoming warm body. The blond agent greeted her by wrapping a shapely leg possessively over her thigh as her arms hung loosely around the brunette's neck and shoulders.

"Madlax…" Limelda's face suddenly sobered. "Are you sure about this…I mean…do you think this is okay…?"

The agent captured a long strand of Limelda's dark hair between her thumb and forefinger. "I meant every word I said last night. I don't want to dwell into the past any longer. That doesn't mean what we have before us will be easy because I'm aware there are things that will keep haunting us but that's part of the burden we have to bear, but I'm I willing to take the chance because I believe we can pull this through."

"Madlax… I…I…"

"Shhh…you don't have to say a word" the girl interrupted in a gently manner. A sigh escaped her lips. "I know… I already know what you mean to tell me. I told you before I was aware of what you were feeling for me because I could sense it just I've always been able to sense your presence no matter what. The only thing that I ask from you now is that you let go of what burdens you."

"Even if what burden me are sins so terrible they still haunt me?" Limelda replied with hoarse voice. The former officer stared at the agent inquisitively, profoundly touched by the girl's honesty and yet the shadows of doubt lingered ever so strongly inside, filling her with insecurity, guilt and fear. Could absolution come to her so easily, to her who was a cold-blooded murderer?

Madlax's answer was simple yet definitive. "If we could share the weight of our sins, perhaps there is hope for us."

The former officer felt the pressure inside her chest dissolve with every single one of Madlax's words. "Madlax…if you are willing to accept me despite all I've done, how can I refuse you? You are offering me a second chance just like you did back then when I begged for my death but instead you spared me and gave me hope."

"Silly you…there was a reason I couldn't kill you…"

"Why? Why you didn't do it when you were on your right to do so, when I wanted it so much?"

Madlax offered Limelda a tender glance as her fingers traced a path from her neck down to her chest, sensing the brunette's strong heartbeat drum against her palm. "Because when I doubted my own existence, I knew you held a part of me inside you. You possessed evidence that my passing through this world had been real, that I wasn't a lie or a mirage."

Limelda captured Madlax's hand and brought it against her lips. "No Madlax…you have never been a lie. In a world filled with deception and lies you became the only thing that was real to me."

"And that's why I chose you, because you never doubted my existence, even if I did."

Limelda chuckled. "Now you're the one who's being silly, but if you still need reassurance, allow me to show you how real you are…" she whispered as her hands framed Madlax's face. The agent simply smiled in expectance, managing to reply before Limelda captured her lips in a passionate kiss:

"Show me then, Limelda Jorg."

**_-Fin-_**

_**Author's Notes:**_

I guess I must have fallen under the influence of the Holy Words of Saruon because here I am again returning to the Madlax fandom with a story of my own after months toiling with my beta's huge Madlax project. This storyline came after sharing impressions on the now infamous jeep scene with Madlax and Limelda. Before long, here I was with a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone, and so this sequel to Atonement was born.

Special thanks to my ever patient beta-reader and accomplice extraordinaire Carrie Asagiri for her input and for insisting I wrote this fic and gave the shoujo-ai fans another treat. Well, here it is. Hope you enjoy the tale and till the next one.


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